Before that
by Lady Merlin
Summary: i know the title sucks, but ah well, i hope the story is cool. It is the prequel of 'after that' LJ duh. rated for minor romance


This starts in the beginning of the seventh year. It has the same beginning as one of my songfic, but well, it's my inspiration… I am expecting that you know I don't own anything… To the idiots who can't take a subtle (sarcasm) hint, I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! The song is Hilary Duff's and the characters, how much ever I want them, are J.K.Rowling's

_When I'm in a crowd_

_Or on an island by myself_

_Silent or too loud_

_Wishing I was somewhere else_

_And I can't believe_

_You hit me fast and hard_

_When you turn to me and say_

_Never change the way you are_

"Hey Lil's,-" James greeted a reading Lily.

"No." Lily said without looking up.

"Huh?" James asked surprised.

"I said No. Don't bug me anymore…" Lily snapped.

"But-but-but" James stuttered.

"But Nothing. I will not go on a date with you." Lily said, for the umpteenth time.

"Hey" said James breaking into a smile. "I'm not dull, I got the idea…" Lily looked up surprised. "I just wanted to say, I know, even if you don't love me, I would never ask you to change the way you are. You are perfect, just now, the way you are." James said before walking away. Lily looked at him with a new perspective…

Lily began to see that James was not the rotten bullying toerag that she thought he was. She saw him helping out students in their homework and helping teachers carry books. Many younger kids liked him not for looks, but for helping them with homework and studies. Once, after transfiguration class, she had the clear some stuff with Professor McGonagall. James reached there before her. "Here," he said, passing a thick essay to Professor McGonagall. Lily was startled. James gave her a lance and hurried away embarrassed.

"Well, you finally got Potter to hand you his homework." Lily said dryly.

"Why, he always does. For some reason, he doesn't want me to tell anyone that he always hands in homework, does assignments, and always ties with the top of the class, meaning you. I think his friends would laugh if they knew, so um, don't tell." Said McGonagall smiling slightly.

Lily looked shocked. "What! Potter does homework?" she asked.

"Yes Ms. Evans, you'll be surprised, it's well done too." Said McGonagall now grinning.

"Well, the world has turned around…" lily muttered and went off without asking her question to McGonagall. McGonagall just grinned knowingly. That pair was made for each other.

For Lily, the pressure was too much. She felt breathless every time James was around, and she wanted to pour out everything to him, but thought twice of it. Once, late at night, Lily came down from her dorm into the common room. Unknown to her, Remus had fallen asleep in a book. She was sitting in a corner, when it overwhelmed her. She felt tears leak out of her eyes and she started sobbing. Remus jolted out of the dream in which Sirius was bout to kill him, and heard the sound of soft sobbing.

Turning to its direction, he saw a veil of red hair, and was shocked to find Lily. He went over to her and asked, "What's wrong Lil's?" She looked up and down again.

"I think I like this guy whom I hated and I don't think he likes me anymore, so I'm screwed."

"Oh." Remus said.

Remus' POV

Obvious…James…

My POV

Remus said softly, "Well, maybe you should apologise to him, and a good time to do it is in the morning. He's always in the hall at three." And walked towards his room. "Good Night." And left a shocked and horrified Lily. (A/N: meheheheh! I'm so naughty!")

In his room, "So Remus, fell asleep in your book again huh?" James asked.

"Prongs!" Remus gasped. "Don't do that! You scared me half to death, after all I did for you!" Remus' shocked face changed as he started grinning evilly.

"What? What did you do for him?" Sirius said popping (A/N: I just wrote that as pooping) out of bed. Remus and James rolled their eyes.

"Don't you know its bad to eavesdrop?"

"Hey, my mum never taught me!" said Sirius, using his famous excuse.

"well, this is what she said, Quote- I think I like this guy whom I hated and I don't think he likes me anymore, so I'm screwed. Quote finish. That is the most obvious thing, so I told her to go and apologise to him… and sorry James, but the only time you're not surrounded by your fan club is at your private time at three in the morning… so I told her so. I didn't use your name, but she looked scared to death, as if I would tell you-"

"But you did!" piped in Peter.

"I happen to know that," said Remus, thinking that Peter was daft. "So don't tell her I did."

"Remus, buddy, Moony, I owe you."

"I know you do."

Later…

Remus sat down on his usual chair and a loud raspberry blew…

There was complete silence for three seconds, then insane laughter.

"JAMES HAROLD POTTER! HOW DARE YOU! YOU LOUSY FREAKING BA-"

"Censored!" piped in Peter!

"Hey! That was my line- wait, STARD!" Remus continued. "AFTER ALL I DID FOR YOU! IS THAT ALL YOU CAN DO!" He roared. "YOU, YOU, YOUUUUUUU!" Yelled Remus before chasing James out of the dormitory. James was as usual grinning to high heaven. Lily saw, and tried to roll her eyes, unsuccessfully. (A/N: meheheheh!)

A few days later, Lily plucked up the courage and went downstairs. At three. James was sitting in the dining hall on a chair with a pencil and sketchpad. Lily was a bit surprised. She went over behind him and saw his drawing. It was her, looking surprisingly lifelike and Lily almost expected the drawing to jump up and start walking. She let out an involuntary gasp. James jumped around and tensed when he saw Lily.

"Yes?" he asked cautiously.

"Relax, I'm not going to bite your head off." Lily said grinning.

"Ah, one can never be too sure." James said retorting quickly. "Sorry." He said, realizing his mistake.

"No prob, that's what my mom says." Lily said grinning. Surprisingly, there was food on the table. "Oh, they have it out so fast?"

"Yeah. They keep refilling it." James said.

"Oh, you are here all the time?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm plagued by nightmares and well, to be frank, during the daytime, I'm normally surrounded by my fan club." He gave an involuntary shudder. "God, that bunch is insane." He said as he wrinkled his nose. Lily couldn't help but think that he looked cute. "I do?" he asked in surprise.

"Shit, Please don't tell me I said that aloud!" She asked.

"Uhm, don't worry. I won't tell. Marauders word." He said holding up his right hand.

"Um, thanks. By the way, is that supposed to mean something to me? The marauders word? Well, no offense, but you guys aren't exactly well, um," she struggled for a word.

"Reliable?" James offered. "Nope, we're not, but the Marauder's word is a serious thing." As Lily raised an eyebrow. "Not Black, as in serious. When we give that word, it means we're going to keep it. That's why you haven't heard it so often." Lily laughed. James thought, dang, she has a beautiful laugh.

Lily said not smiling anymore, "James, I gotta tell you something. I'm sorry for all those things that I've said, all those mean things. I know I don't deserve it, but I hope I can be forgiven." She said, about to run off, When James grabbed her hand.

"lily, you don't need to ask. You've been forgiven long time back." He said sincerely before letting her go. She glanced back and ran off. James was sure that he had seen a tear in her eye.


End file.
